


Scarecrows and Georgia Peaches

by bolide_belle



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: Unnamed Canon Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-07 05:14:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4250700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bolide_belle/pseuds/bolide_belle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone in the US knew about the Rogues. They were all famous, in the worst ways possible. All of them were murderers and criminals, she knew that. She didn't hold any unrealistic expectations. She wasn't expecting this to be a fairytale story. She didn't believe in those.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scarecrows and Georgia Peaches

Stretching, Clara stepped off the bus. Gleaming skyscrapers towered like giants all around her. Gotham was huge, she'd known that. For some reason though it hadn't sunk in until that moment how truly, monstrously huge it was. It was nothing compared to home. Glancing around, she knew her hotel wasn't that far away, the directions she'd printed out showed the street she was on now. Paying wouldn't be too much of an issue either since she'd... borrowed... her mom's credit card. Mom thought Clara was at a friend's house, and she wasn't due back all weekend. She also had her mom's passcodes and stuff so no one would report the card as missing if she spent some money. Clara might have been eleven, but she was a very smart eleven. She figured she took after her brother in that aspect.

On a mission, Clara looked at her watch. She had an hour till the appointment, and she was starting to get nervous. She had to know though, she needed to meet him. She'd follow through, no matter how scared or nervous she was. This was too important. Sighing, Clara hoisted her bag back over her shoulder. She wasn't sure she had enough time to stop at the hotel and still get to the appointment on time. This really was her only chance to do this. Straight there it was then.

Clara waved as a yellow cab pulled towards her. She slipped in and tried to get comfortable, hands running through her blonde hair to try and fix the messy nest. "Where's yer parents, Kid."

Clara grumped, rolling her eyes, "Where're yours?"

The cabbie glanced at her in the rearview, raising an eyebrow. For a second she did feel bad, she wasn't raised to be rude, but she didn't think it was any of his business. She'd read people were ruder in the city, now she wasn't so sure. She couldn't afford him kicking her out. She was grateful he just shrugged, "Where to then, huh?"

"Arkham Asylum," she tried not to look terribly excited. She was close, so excruciatingly close. This only made the cabdriver raise another eyebrow in surprise.

"Ainchu a little young ta head out there yerself?"

Obviously, he wasn't going to let this go. Clara turned on her best glare, annoyed. This kid stuff was going to get old quick. So it wasn't really hard to look as annoyed as she felt, "If you have to know, my parents are letting me go. My brother's there, he was admitted for Depression. He's in the low risk ward, you jerk."

"Okay, okay, ease off kid, jus' worried is all," Finally the car started moving, "It ain't safe, ya know? Full a whackos, freaks in mask, murderers."

She was rather proud of herself she didn't flinch or even look all that mad. She knew he was talking about the Rogues. Everyone in the US knew about the Rogues. They were all famous, in the worst ways possible. All of them were murderers and criminals, she knew that. She didn't hold any unrealistic expectations. She wasn't expecting this to be a fairytale story. She didn't believe in those. She also didn't feel bad about lying about to the cabbie. It really wasn't any of his business why she was going to Arkham. Her light blue eyes drifted out the side window. Watching as the scenery changed from crowded claustrophobic buildings to suburbs. From suburbs it changed to a bridge, and finally the bridge led onto the island. Woods surrounded the road. It hadn't been a complete lie. Her brother was at Arkham, and he might have been diagnosed with depression. She'd really only lied about her parents and which ward he was in. Half a lie wasn't actually a lie was it? Well, okay it was still a lie, but it wasn't his business who she was here to visit.

As the cab slowed, her gaze slipped to the front windshield, awed by the large rod iron gate placed in front of the asylum. Large angelic statues on either side with heads down and hands up in prayer. Their faces shrouded by veils of cloth, they looked as though they could cry at any moment. The cab slipped through the gate, and Clara couldn't help but shudder. Despite the angels, that building held none of the warmness of any church she'd seen. It was dark gray with age, appearing to have been white at one time in the distant past. It didn't tower, it loomed like some great beast from her old fictions back home. The gargoyles and statues and everything about the architecture screamed mausoleum. This didn't feel like a place people came to get better, it felt like a place people came to die. 

She understood now why so many people feared this place. There was no hope found here, there was only insanity and death. 

"$56.70," He paused for a moment before adding, "and Kid? Be careful would ya? This ain't no place fer kids."

This time Clara had no response, her excitement now twisting and knotting in her stomach as anxiety and dread. She simply nodded, paid him, and slipped out without a word or the change. Making her way up the steps she didn't even registered the sound of the cab speeding away as fast as he could. This wasn't the place she'd imagined. Maybe this place was part of the reason he was the way he still was. She pushed open the large ornate doors, and made her way into the reception area. The woman behind the desk looked rather surprised to see her. She hadn't even bothered to greet Clara. No, no thinking of turning back. She'd come too far for that, done too much to get here. She moved up to the desk.

"Hi, I have an appointment at six? My name's Clara Jarvis, I'm here to see my brother. Jonathan Crane."

**Author's Note:**

> (( I really don't like doing notes... I do hope you enjoy the first chapter though.))


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